Nature Walk

Few individuals walking through
a nature area are aware of
the many things in full view,
much less the features that
require closer observation.
As young naturalists, you
should become more aware of
your surroundings and strive
to develop your powers of
observation.

What do you see when you
look at a tree? If you view
it as a single object, you
are missing a world of nature.
Take a closer look—really
study the tree. Now what
do you see? Perhaps closer
observation has revealed
a bird nest on the high
branch where a mother bird
is feeding her young; or
a songbird hopping from
limb to limb, pausing to
fill the air with his clear,
melodious calls; or a woodpecker
busily searching for insects
in the bark crevices. What
is that on the underside
of the lower branch? Look,
there it is again: a small
tree lizard so nearly the
color of the wood that it
seems to disappear when
still. This protective camouflage
helps conceal the lizard
from both its prey and the
hungry predators that seek
it for food.

Look again. Do you see the
web carefully placed between
those branches? In time an
unwary insect will blunder
into the trap to provide a
meal for the waiting spider.
However, the insect may not
get past the tree frog that
is clinging to the side of
that small limb. Trees are
not all alike, nor do they
contain the same things. You
may look closely and still
see nothing, or you may catch
a glimpse of a squirrel scampering
through the branches. As you
gaze intently into the leaves,
you may see the eyes of a
creature curiously gazing
back at you.

If you become aware of
the world of nature around,
your curiosity may be aroused.
You may begin to wonder
what kind of tree you were
observing; which species
of birds were seen nesting,
hopping from limb to limb,
or gathering insects; which
type of lizard was hiding
in the tree; what kind of
spider had placed her web
between those branches;
and which tree frog that
was and how it could cling
to the side of that limb
so easily.

To help you identify
the plants and animals
you see on your nature
walk, there are many good
field guides available.
For example, the Peterson
Field Guide Series includes
A
Field Guide to Trees and
Shrubs by George A.
Petrides, A
Field Guide to the Birds
of Texas and Adjacent
States by
Roger Tory Peterson, A
Field Guide to Reptiles
and Amphibians by Roger
Conant, and A
Field Guide to the Insects
of America North of Mexico by Donald
J. Borror and Richard
E. White.

While making your nature
walk, don’t limit
your observations to trees
and their contents. The
ground also has its story
to tell. The passage of
wildlife through an area
leaves signs for all to
see. Each species of animal
has its own distinct footprint,
and by learning to identify
them, you will be able
to tell which animals
have walked where you
are walking. When the
deer, raccoons, opossums,
bobcats, and other animals
come to drink, their tracks
are recorded in the moist
soil around the water’s
edge.

A
Field Guide to Animal
Tracks by Olaus J. Murie
will help you identify
the tracks you encounter
o your walk. If you
wish to preserve the
tracks and start a
collection of them,
you may make plaster
casts. To do this,
first carefully clean
the twigs and loose
dirt from the tracks.
Cut the ends out of
a tin can that is
larger than the track
and cover the inside
of the can with a coating
of Vaseline to make
removal of the cast
easier. Place the
can over the track.
Mix together plaster
of paris and water
to a consistency of
thick cream or pancake
batter. Pour it into
the can about an inch
thick and let it dry
for an hour. Remove
the cast from the
can, let it dry for
another hour or so,
and then clean it thoroughly
with water to remove
all dirt. Allow the
cast to dry for two
or three days before
adding a protective
coating of shellac.

While your eyes are busy
observing the world around
you, your ears should
be listening for the sounds
of nature. The call of
a bird will pinpoint its
location for you. The
steady drone of buzzing
bees may lead you to their
hive. Hearing the rustle
of dead leaves could draw
your attention to an armadillo
foraging for food, a lizard
currying for safety, or
some other small wildlife
creature hurrying about
its daily business. These
sightings f wildlife could
be missed if your ears
are not tuned in on the
sounds of nature.

Now that you are excited
about going for a nature
walk to see what you can
see, don’t think
that because you have
no little wooded place
in the country you have
no place to go. Nothing
could be further from
the truth. Your backyard
or the vacant lot on the
corner can be fascinating
if you look and listen
hard enough. Most state
parks also have areas
available for hiking and
exploring, and many have
actual trails, some of
which have signs identifying
the vegetation along the
route.

Spend some time in the
outdoors on a nature walk.
You may be surprised at
the variety of living
things you will encounter.